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“Croy-gen,” I whispered, my voice breaking off, our gazes locking. My father’s blade was the last real thing I had, but Croygen’s sword was like cutting out my chest. A sword was personal. Like our ship, it became part of us, soaking in our blood, thirsting off our kills, giving us strength.

“It’s only a sword,Katze. Just an object.” He shrugged one shoulder. He was lying; it was more than an object, but he was willing to sacrifice it.

For me.

The guide started to reach for it again, his hands wrapping around the handle. My entire body jerked like he was ripping out my soul. Soon the legacy and history of it would be gone, vanishing from the world like most of the Golden Era pirates.

I recalled a hazy memory of sitting on Blackbeard’s lap as a little girl, the captain letting me tug on his long beard. A brutal pirate to many others, this man would make silly faces and bounce me around on his knee to get me to laugh. I would giggle until my cheeks hurt and my belly ached, and he’d do it all again, for hours, entertaining me. His booming laugh would fill the room. I remember looking over at my father one time, sitting back, a smile so genuine and warm on his face as he watched us, like we had finally found our family. Our place. Our home.

The sword represented that time. Happiness. Contentment. A peace for my father he hadn’t had since losing my mother.

My gaze snapped to my father’s blade on Croygen’s hip. That dagger only made me feel grief and heartbreak. Death.

My hand moved before I fully understood what I was doing. Yanking it from Croygen’s waist, I flipped the handle out toward the man, pushing Croygen’s sword out of the way.

“Take this one.”

“Kat, no.” Croygen tried to wiggle back in front of me. “I can’t let you do that.”

“Take this one.” I offered the dagger to the man. “The handle is made of pure gold. That would be a fortune for you.”

“No,” Croygen barked. “You are not giving it away.”

“I’m telling you I am,” I shot back, nodding for the man to take it. “Your family will be set for life.”

“Gods dammit, Katrina!” Croygen tried to snatch the blade from me. “I said no! He’s taking mine.”

“Yousaid?” I whipped to face the pirate, my jaw straining. “Well, I say he’s taking this one. And that is final.”

“I won’t let you tradeyour father’sblade.” He moved in closer to me, his intensity sparking off his gaze. “He’d want you to have it. It’syourblade. You are not handing it over to anyone. Andthatis final!”

“I don’t want something that only knows his death,” I hissed, getting in his face. “It doesn’t hold my father’s memory. It holds his murder.”

Croygen’s nose flared, his eyes burning, ready to fight me, to challenge me. But before he could, I spun back, handing it over to the guide. “Here. It will bring your family prosperity.”

The man hesitated, probably nervous about what karma came along with this weapon. Still, as the weight settled in his palms—and the realization of the money he might get from it—he bowed his head, accepting the payment.

He should. He made about three hundred times what was negotiated.

“Promise you will see his crew knows where we are.” I stared the man down. He was human, but a promise was still heavy with those with honor.

“You have my word.” He bowed.

“Katrina…” Croygen growled.

I nodded for the guide to leave before my mind could be changed. The man dipped his head at all of us before he went for the fae door.

“No!” Croygen lunged forward, but the man slipped through, disappearing into the wobbly air, lost to us for good. “Fuck!” Croygen knotted his fingers through his hair, tugging on it, turning to me. “What did you do?” He flung out his arms as I stood blinking at the empty space, my actions sinking in. “Do you understand what you just did? You can’t get it back, Katrina. It’s gone!”

“I know.” I felt shock mixed with sadness in my disbelief, but it didn’t feel wrong.

“Why?” Croygen grabbed my arms, lightly shaking me with frustration. “Why did you do that? I was willing to give him mine.”

I knew he was, and maybe that was why. Shaking my head, I pulled away from him, my brain too scrambled to contemplate the whys or any future regrets.

“It’s done.” I tucked my dirty hair behind my ear, progressing to the spiral stairs leading down into the basilica. “Let’s move.”

“Katrina…” I ignored Croygen’s deep rumble following me down the steps into the church.